Thoughts While Running

Over the last several months, I have opened this page to start writing at least four times. Each time, I deleted everything I wrote and closed the tab. Let’s hope this one is different. I’ve been telling myself (and everyone that asks) that I’m not inspired by anything to write. That’s true. But it’s also true that I’ve missed writing more than I can really express. So what I’m deciding to do is to start writing about the very ordinary things that happen in my life. So I’m starting with something that has become very ordinary in my life: Running.

Sidenote: One of the times I opened this page to write was sometime last month about this very topic I am writing about now. The title I had in mind was “Thoughts of a Runner while Running”. I scrapped it because I thought to myself, Soala you can not be intellectually dishonest with these people. How can you call yourself a runner? I am not a runner, in fact, I believe I am the opposite of a runner. You might think the opposite of a runner is someone who doesn’t run at all. Wrong. The opposite of a runner is someone who runs, but runs very wrong. I’m pretty sure my running form is wrong, my arms swing wrong, how I breathe while running is wrong, how I manage drinking water so I don’t get dehydrated is wrong… You get the idea.

Running. Oh Running. How did we get here? For the record, I hate running. Hateeeeeee it. So how has running become regular in my life? Before summer started, I decided that I was going to be really serious about working out this summer and so I created a workout program for myself and it included running about three times a week. So since the end of May, I have been running regularly three times a week. It’s trash. It feels terrible. But I’m committed. Even though it’s been a few hours since I actually went on my run, I’m going to try chronicle what was running through my mind while my body was running.

0.2 miles – Oh woah, Soala. Are you sure you can do this today? This is going to be brutal oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

0.5 miles – What route should you take? If you go around school, mentally it’s easier because you know exactly when you’ll need to stop. But it’s sunny out and if you take the back road and go off campus you can run in the shade. (My school is in Smithfield, right outside my school is suburban America, which, as everyone knows, is overflowing with hella trees).

0.7 miles – Alright left or right. Going right means going uphill but going left means all those racist dogs.

Sidenote: I love dogs. Absolutely love dogs. However, the dogs in this Smithfield area, they’re a bit racist not gonna lie. Let me explain. When I take the back road on my routes, I run past a lot of houses. I’ve never run past a house that has a dog without the dog raising hell that I’m daring to be in its vicinity. And I’m on the road oo. I used to think it was because when I would run, I would have my speaker in a knapsack and run with that on my back. I thought it was the music that was bringing out the unfriendliness from the dogs. But I started using earphones and taking new roads and still dogs everywhere would run to their fences and bark at me. Now I don’t blame the dogs. I just think they haven’t seen black people before and thus, don’t know how to react to one that’s simply running on the road in front of them. But anyways, it’s not important.

1 mile – oh woah you’re really sweating. Did you even check how hot it is. What if you get dehydrated?

1.2 miles – WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO HAVE ROADS THAT GO UPHILL? HAVE YOU NO SOUL?!?!

1.4 miles – Okay your earphones keep slipping out, just go without it for a while. It’s not like you actually listen to the music when you’re running…. Okayyyy, you can hear everything now. Including your own breathing. Kai, are you sure this your running is normal? This one that you’re breathing like someone is dying.

1.45 miles – KAKLDIEFEMDJN DJFNEEJIFE ICEJMINDIENND alright you’re thinking too much about everything put your earphones back in.

2 miles – Oh woah. This feels good. This might be one of your good run days Soala. This really feels good.

2.3 miles – HONESTLY THE PERSON THAT MADE THIS ROAD GO UPHILL, GOD WILL REWARD YOU. DON’T WORRY.

2.7 miles – Don’t worry Soala, no matter what it feels like, your calves won’t explode. Neither will your lungs. Just finish.

2.8 miles – Who begged you to run oo? WHO ACTUALLY ASKED YOU?

you’ve reached your goal. congratulations.

3 miles – Good run Soala. That wasn’t so bad. Another one tomorrow.

 

Life update: You know how people luck their way into getting lifetime supplies of whatever it is from the company? Yeah I need that in my life, for granola bars. I tried to get sponsored by Skittles before. I sent them a nice funny email. It didn’t work out. So I’m all out of ideas on how to get sponsored by food companies. But if by any chance a Nature Valley representative is reading this, message me, let’s build.